Umbrella hat



July 27, 1954 I J KwAKE 2,684,483

UMBRELLA HAT Filed Jan. 27, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JOHN A names,

IN V EN TOR.

Y' 1954 J- P. KWAKE 83 UMBRELLA HAT Filed Jan. 27, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOHN P. (d/HAZE, INVENTOR.

RTTOENGV-S' Patented July 27, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UMBRELLA HAT John P. Kwake, Culver City, Calif.

Application January 27, 1950, Serial No. 140,805

, Claims. 1

This invention relates to protective coverings and particularly to a hat structure adaptable for use as a covering to protect the wearer from rain, sleet, snow, and the like.

From tim immemorial those exposed to rain and the like have relied for protection from the elements on various types of clothing, such as hats and head coverings of various types. While such devices serve a certain purpose, they are usually inadequate for complete protection inasmuch as they are not constructed to provide a surface covering the entire body and, moreover, permit the said rain to impinge upon the face, the neck and other portions of the body. In order to obviate this condition, it has likewise been customary to use umbrellas, p-arasols, and the like, which provide such a broad protectiv surface but have the disadvantage of being bulky, of being separate articles requiring separate handling, and of being subject to being lost, misplaced, or otherwise unavailable when use is desired.

To provide at the same time an article of wearing apparel not ordinarily subject to being lost, but having a broad protective surface for protection from the elements, it has been suggested in the past that the features of hats or head coverings be combined with the features of the umbrella. However, such attempts have had little practical success, inasmuch as such contrivances are either too bulky to be worn as a hat, or, if not, too inadequate in serving as a protection from the elements.

Consequently, it is the object of this invention to provide a combined hat and umbrella having a large protective surface but still light and comfortable for use as an article of wearing apparel.

Again it is the object of the invention to provide such a combined hat and umbrella which, when not in use, can be reduced to a rolled-up compact article, easily carried in the purse or the pocket as a small compact article of goods offering a minimum of inconvenience to the carrier.

Further it is the object of this invention to provide such a combination hat and umbrella which is simply converted from its rolled-up carried condition to its operable state.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide the aforesaid article with means adapting it to simple aflixation to the head, in order that it may adhere thereto and not become inadvertently removed by wind, bumping, or in other accidental manner.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the invention as worn;

Figure 2 shows a top plan view of the article in extended position;

Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the elements of the article in unassembled condition;

Figure 4 shows a sectional view of the article taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 shows a section of a portion of the article taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 shows an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the article taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5, showing, however, the joining together of portions of the article in solid line.

Referring to the drawings, the combined hat and umbrella of the instant invention is preferably constructed of plastic film, which is a wellknown material occupying little volume and easily adaptable for rolling up into a small package for carrying or storing. It will be understood, how ever, that the article might likewise be composed partially of plastic film and partially of rubberized material or, indeed, portions of the article may be composed of waterproofed fabric.

Figure 1 shows the article in its extended condition as used by the wearer for protection against the elements. It comprises a bodymortion Ill, an inflated tube I2, shown in Figure 3 as a flat blank prior to assembly of the article, a valve stem [4, and strap ties l6 which are tied beneath the wearers chin to secure the article to the head.

In the preferred embodiment, the body portion I0 is comprised of a fiat piece of plastic film. The tube l2 likewise comprises a flat piece of plastic strip or plastic film. The valve stem It should preferably be of heavier plastic or perhaps even rubber, in order that the walls thereof may be adaptable for aiding inflation. And, finally, the strap ties [6 are again of plastic film cut to shape.

In the assembly of the device, the respective ends I8 and [9 of the tube strip I2 are sealed together with an overlap 20 of approximately two inches. Such sealing may be accomplished by conventional heat treating methods, and thereafter the valve stem I4 is sealed onto the tube strip I2, an orifice 22 being, of course, provided through the said tube strip [2. Thereafter, the tube is sealed along its edges to provide an endless inflatable tube having a valve stem pocket 24. Said tube is sealed to the periphery of the body portion [0, as shown in Figure 4, and the strap ties are likewise sealed to said body portion by conventional heat treating methods in such 3 manner as to permit sufficient room to cover a conventional hat but at the same time provide adequate support to prevent the article from wobbling or from becoming inadvertently dislodged from the head.

It will be readily perceived that such an article is easily rolled up and placed within the purse or pocket. When it is desired to use said article, it is withdrawn and through use of the valve stem M, the tube I2 is inflated by the user. Inflation of said tube will extend and stifien the tube, spreading out the body portion H] to a considerable protective cross-sectional area. The valve stem is then twisted and its extremity tucked into the valve stem pocket 24, whereupon the tube I2 remains inflated and the body portion 10 extended without further attention. The article is placed on the head and the extremities of the strap [6 tied to secure said article firmly.

While there has been described what is at present considered a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilledin the art'that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention, and it is intended to cover herein all such modifications and changes as come within the true scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A weather protective head covering comprising: a thin flat unitary flexible solid body portion; a flexible tube secured to and extending about the periphery of said body portion, said tube being inflatable and when inflated forming a stiflening member maintaining said body portion substantially flat, the ends of said tube being secured inoverlapping relation whereby to provide a pocket at their juncture; a valve stem secured to said tube adjacent said pocket and providing air ingress'into said tube, the extremity of said valve stem being adapted to be tucked into said pocket; and securing elements aflixed to and depending from said body portion inwardly of said periphery and adapted to secure said head covering to the head of the wearer.

2. A weather protective head covering comprising: a thin flat unitary flexible solid body portion; a flexible tube secured to and extending about the periphery of said body portion, said tube being inflatable and when inflated forming a stiffening member maintaining said body portion substantially flat to provide protective means for covering the head of the wearer; and securing elements affixed to and depending from said body portion inwardly of said periphery and adapted to secure said head covering to the head of the wearer.

3. A weather protective head covering comprising: a thin flat unitary flexible solid body portion; a flexible tube secured to and extending about the periphery of said body portion, said tube being inflatable and when inflated forming a stifiening member maintaining said body portion substantially flat to provide protective means for covering the head of the wearer; and a pair of strap ties affixed to anddepending from said body portion inwardly of said periphery and adapted to secure said head covering to the head of the wearer.

4. A weather protective head covering comprising: a thin flat unitary flexible solid body portion; a flexible tube secured to and extending about the periphery of said body portion, said tube being inflatable and when inflated forming a stiffening member adapted to be disposed radially outwardly of and spaced from the head of the wearer to maintain said body portion substantially flat in protective relation to the head of the wearer; and means afiixed to and depending from said body portion inwardly of said periphery and'adapted-to securesaid head covering to the head of the wearer.

5. A weather protective head covering comprising: a thin flat unitary flexible solid body portion; a flexible tube secured to and extending about the periphery of said body portion, said tube being inflatable and when inflated adapted to be disposed radially outwardly ofand spaced from the headof the wearer to form a stiffening member maintainingsaid body portion substantially flat in protective relation'to the head of the wearer, the ends of said tube being secured in overlapping relation whereby to provide a pocket at their juncture; a valve stem securedto said tube adjacent said pocket and providing air ingress into said tube, the extremity of said valve stem being adapted to be tucked into said pocket; and means aflixed to and depending from said body portion inwardly of said periphery and adapted to secure said head covering to-the head of the wearer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 606,982 Smyth July 5, 1898 1,560,073 Bontempi et al Nov. 3, 1925 1,612,602 Bowman Dec. 28, 1926 2,033,802 Abram Mar. 10, 1936 

